Amaravati art in the context of "Anuradhapura"

The Jātaka (Sanskrit for "Birth-Related" or "Birth Stories") are a voluminous body of literature native to the Indian subcontinent which mainly concern the previous births of Gautama Buddha in both human and animal form. Jataka stories were depicted on the railings and torans of the stupas. According to Peter Skilling, this genre is "one of the oldest classes of Buddhist literature." Some of these texts are also considered great works of literature in their own right. The various Indian Buddhist schools had different collections of jātakas. The largest known collection is the Jātakatthavaṇṇanā of the Theravada school, as a textual division of the Pāli Canon, included in the Khuddaka Nikaya of the Sutta Pitaka.

In these stories, the future Buddha may appear as a king, an outcaste, a deva, an animal—but, in whatever form, he exhibits some virtue that the tale thereby inculcates. Often, Jātaka tales include an extensive cast of characters who interact and get into various kinds of trouble – whereupon the Buddha character intervenes to resolve all the problems and bring about a happy ending. The Jātaka genre is based on the idea that the Buddha was able to recollect all his past lives and thus could use these memories to tell a story and illustrate his teachings.

Amaravathi or Amaravati is a village located on the banks of the Krishna River in the Palnadu district of Andhra Pradesh, India. It was built by zamindar Vasireddy Venkatadri Nayudu in late 18th century on the site of the ancient Saatavahana capital Dhanyakataka. Amaravathi serves as the administrative centre of Amaravathi mandal and lies within the Andhra Pradesh Capital Region. Known for its cultural heritage, Amaravathi lends its name to the state's newly planned capital, Amaravati, located 35 kilometres to the east in Guntur district. Amaravathi is notable for its prominent place in both Hindu and Buddhist traditions.

The place is named after the Amareswara Temple, one of the Pancharama Kshetras, significant Hindu temples dedicated to Lord Siva. It is also home to the ancient Amaravati Stupa, a Buddhist monument from the 2nd century BCE to the 3rd century CE. This stupa, now under the protection of the Archaeological Survey of India, exemplifies the Amaravati School of Art, a style that had a lasting influence on Buddhist art throughout South and Southeast Asia. Designated as one of India's centrally protected Monuments of National Importance, the stupa and its surrounding ruins hold great cultural value.